China-India Relations Are Getting Back on the Right Track

“recently, thanks to the concerted efforts from the two sides, China-India relations have been developing with a sound momentum. We have seen new achievements in political cooperation and various fields. We attach importance to developing ties with India.”

“We would like to work with India under the guidance of our two leaders, to maintain our exchanges at all levels, enhance our trust and properly manage our differences and ensure that bilateral relations could move forward along the right track,”

IANS quoted Lu as saying.

A number of recent high-level meetings between the two countries has indicated that a sort of bonhomie has emerged. On March 28, following the 11th meeting of the India-China expert-level mechanism on trans-boundary rivers held in Hangzhou, Lu Kang was quoted as saying:

“The two sides agreed to continue with such cooperation on the grounds of humanitarian principles, and on the basis of bilateral relations. China will continue with its cooperation with the Indian side on the provision of hydrological information and emergency response cooperation,”

India’s Economic Times reported. Since last year, following a border stand-off, China had stopped providing India with hydrological information about the Brahmaputra River, which originates in China and flows into India.

From the Indian side some measures have also been taken. Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale has issued a directive to all government officials, not to attend any event that involves the Dalai Lama or his associates. Unofficially, India has also separated the Belt and Road Initiative, from the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which it opposes, media reports indicate.

In the coming days, more high-level interactions are planned, culminating in a summit between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and China’s President Xi Jinping in Qingdao, China in June, during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization annual summit. Next week, India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is heading to China, and Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj is due to visit in April. The two sides are also expected to revive “hand-in-hand” counter-terrorism exercises when India Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visits China in April, a defense source said. The drills were suspended earlier, Asian Age reported today.